Words & Sounds Series: Third Thursdays with M³ | Gwen Laster and Shoko Nagai

Asian Arts Initiative and Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³) present Words & Sounds Series: Third Thursdays with M³. These interdisciplinary showcases explore creative connections between music and spoken word, featuring live music performances and readings by M³ artists, followed by a guided writing activity and Q&A discussion on the third Thursdays through this Fall.

The October act features Gwen Laster, an adventurous composer, arranger and orchestrator, and Shoko Nagai, Japanese-born composer, pianist, accordionist, and improviser. The writing activities will be moderated by Yuri Seung, SOUND TYPE 2024 Writers Cohort member.

*In light of rising COVID-19 concerns, we highly recommend that all guests wear masks while attending our indoor events. Mask policy is subject to change based on the public health guidelines and the severity of the situations. Stay connected via newsletter, social media, and our website for the latest updates!

Gwen Laster, Violinist / Composer / Teaching Artist Gwen Laster is an adventurous composer, arranger and orchestrator. A classically-trained artist with a deep appreciation for America's musical history, and a scholar of African- American musical heritage. A socially conscious activist and educator who understands the power of music to reach and touch everyday people. She is a nationally acclaimed musician who has been the recipient of awards by the National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, MPower Sphinx, Jubilation Foundation, Puffin Foundation and Arts Mid Hudson. She began her love for improvising and composing because of her parents' love of jazz, blues, soul and classical music played endlessly on the record player and her progressive jazz music educators from Detroit's public schools. Her playing is poignant, descriptive and always relevant. Perhaps that's why she has recorded and performed with the world's most influential artists. The list reads like a “who's who” of modern masters: Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Alicia Keys, Rhianna, Shaggy, Aretha Franklin, Solange, Mark Anthony, J Lo, Shakira, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Anthony Braxton, Nona Hendryx, Wadada Leo Smith, William Parker, Danny Elfman, Sun Ra Arkestra, Tyler, the Creator, Emeline Michel and Andrew Baba Lamb. Her talents also extend to Broadway (Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, Carousel, Wicked, Porgy and Bess, The King and I). As the founder of the Creative Strings Improvisers Ensemble (CSIE), she has created programs which promote self-expression through improvisation. Her sensitivity to global music informs her workshops and master classes across the U.S. A native of Detroit, she holds two degrees in music from the University of Michigan and has lived in New York for many years. Her newest recording "Blue Lotus" is performed by New MUSE4tet, an improvisational string quartet whose original works promote social activism. Her features in Chamber Music America magazine for her commissioned work Black Lives Matter Suite (composed for New Muse4tet) shares her personal reflection and experiences that motivated the work. Laster's music is available at Bandcamp, iTunes and other digital media sources. Her recordings as a leader are Sneak Preview, I Hear You Smiling, Gameboard and Blue Lotus.

Shoko Nagai, a Japanese-born composer, pianist, accordionist, and improviser, is a versatile and accomplished musician. She collaborates with world-renowned artists and creates original scores for films and live performances. Since moving NYC from Japan, she has showcased her mastery of the keyboard by adapting it to various instruments such as prepared piano, accordion, electronics, more. Whether performing Klezmer, Balkan, or experimental music, Nagai captivates audiences with her charismatic presence on stage, captivating them with her intense focus and virtuosic sound. "Nagai treats every moment as an opportunity for deep synchronicity, reflecting her profound musical artistry" - The New York Times, Giovanni Russonello.

Yuri Seung (she/her) is an interdisciplinary creator who merges nonfiction writing, sound, and visual elements into her practice. Her multisensorial approach often features the body as subject and object. Her work engages themes of constructed identities, extreme forms of expression, shame, and the capacity to heal. She works at the University of Pennsylvania managing experiential learning programs, where she is also a graduate student creating an experimental multimodal autoethnographic project exploring transnational identity.